Department for Education

T-levels: Expenditure

Lord Watson of Invergowrie: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byBaroness Barran on 13 December (HL4660), how many students are currently enrolled on a T level; and what has been the additional cost of funding more teaching hours for T level students.

Baroness Barran: We have published high level summary enrolment numbers for 2020 and 2021 in the recent T Level action plan and the one published in 2020, available to view here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/t-level-action-plan. We have also published 2020 starts in the 16-18 participation statistical data release in June 2021.T Levels include more teaching hours than general 16-19 study programmes. Therefore, 4 larger bands have been added to the 16-19 funding bands to ensure schools, colleges and other training providers with T Level students are paid at a higher rate. The additional costs of this are as follows for the first two academic years of T Levels: Funding stream2020/212021/22Totals to dateFunding for additional T Level teaching hours£1.6 million£5.1 million£6.7 million The funding for additional T Level teaching hours is based on the published allocations of T Level numbers using a comparison of the standard T Level and band 5 funding rates.

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office

Overseas Aid: Females

Baroness Sugg: To ask Her Majesty's Government what year they will use as a benchmark for the restoration of spending for women and girls to the level it was at before the reduction in Official Development Assistance announced this year.

Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: We are restoring funding for women and girls to pre-ODA cut levels over the Spending Review period, focusing on giving more girls a quality education; ending the extremely harmful practice of female genital mutilation, supporting girls' health; and ending the abhorrent use of sexual violence around the world.Following the Spending Review, decisions on allocations and individual programmes will be published in the usual way.

Schengen Agreement

Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to discuss with the relevant authorities the banning of British citizens who have worked in North-East Syria from entering the Schengen Zone by means of notices under the Schengen Information System.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: Entry to the Schengen Zone is a matter for the immigration authorities of relevant EU Member States. The UK continues to work with international partners on a range of issues resulting from the difficult situation in North East Syria.

Environment Protection: Technology

Lord Shinkwin: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to share UK expertise in green technology with partners in (1) the Middle East, and (2) North Africa region, following the water-for-energy deal agreed by Israel and Jordan, and brokered by the United Arab Emirates.

Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: The Middle East and North Africa region, particularly as one of the most water stressed regions in the world, will be profoundly affected by climate change. Regional co-operation to address shared challenges, such as the water for energy deal, is necessary. The UK is committed to supporting the region transition to low carbon economies and to adapt to future climate change. Through Build Back Better, HMG will be exploring ways to supplement existing efforts which include work on green finance instruments across North Africa using the expertise of the Bank of England and the recent £50m contribution to the High Impact Partnership for Climate Action trust fund delivered by London headquartered European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.

Ministry of Defence

Russia: Armed Conflict

Lord Truscott: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the remarks byBaroness Goldie on 29 November (HL Deb, col 1130), what are their reasons for believing that a thermonuclear war with Russia would be an "unwelcome outcome".

Lord Truscott: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the remarks byBaroness Goldie on 29 November (HL Deb, col 1128), what are their reasons for believing that an accidental war with Russia "would obviously be a very negative and unwelcome outcome".

Baroness Goldie: It is difficult to envisage any scenario in which war, whether accidental, thermonuclear or otherwise, and irrespective of which other parties may be involved, would be a welcome outcome. Her Majesty's Government is committed to resolving issues peacefully and diplomatically wherever possible.

Armed Conflict: Nuclear Weapons

Lord Truscott: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the remarks byLord West of Spithead on 29 November (HL Deb, col 1130) that "thegreatest risk to the survival of mankind is not global warming, it is an accidental thermonuclear war".

Baroness Goldie: The UK faces a range of risks as outlined in the Integrated Review published in Spring 2021. Her Majesty's Government is at the forefront of work internationally to champion stability, to descalate the risk of nuclear conflict, and to enhance mutual trust.

Nuclear Weapons: Costs

Lord Empey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the costs that will be incurred as a result of the decision to renew and expand nuclear warhead production.

Baroness Goldie: The Replacement Warhead programme is in its early preliminary phases and it is therefore too early to provide a cost estimate at this stage.

AWE

Lord Empey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what recent assessment they have made of the effectiveness of the Atomic Weapons Establishment.

Baroness Goldie: As confirmed to Parliament by the Secretary of State for Defence on July 1 2021 [HCWS142] AWE plc became a Non-Departmental Public Body, wholly owned by the Ministry of Defence (MOD). That decision followed a review of the AWE governance model which concluded the change in operating model was required to enhance both the MOD and AWE’s ability to put in place the skills and facilities required to deliver the Replacement Warhead Programme and deliver value for money to the taxpayer.

Home Office

Refugees: Afghanistan

Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to establish contact points for the Afghan Resettlement Scheme in neighbouring countries.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: We are working across Government and with partners such as UNHCR to design the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme (ACRS), amidst a complex and changing picture. We are committed to working in step with the international community to get this right, and we will set out more details soon.Eligible people will be prioritised and referred for resettlement to the UK as set out in the policy statement published on gov.uk on 13 September.

Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities

Antisemitism

Baroness Deech: To ask Her Majesty's Government, following reports of intimidation of a group of Jewish youths on Oxford Street, London, on 29 November, what assessment they have made of antisemitism in the UK; and what steps they are taking to address this.

Lord Greenhalgh: Antisemitism has absolutely no place in our society, which is why we’re taking a strong lead in tackling it in all its forms.   This year we have provided £14 million to the Protective Security Grant to provide safety for Synagogues and other Jewish Institutions. We are bringing forward the Online Safety Bill to address hatred that manifests online and we will be introducing a new Hate Crime Strategy in 2022.

Antisemitism

Baroness Deech: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to encourage UK media organisations to adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition of antisemitism.

Lord Greenhalgh: Antisemitism has no place in our society and this Government remains absolutely committed to tackling it.We became the first country to adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) Working Definition of Antisemitism in 2016, and we continue to encourage organisations to take this important step in combatting this form of hatred. It is encouraging that, following the Government’s encouragement, organisations such as the Premier League, the Football Association, over 80 universities and over three-quarters of councils have adopted the definition – demonstrating their willingness to support the Jewish community.We will continue to encourage organisations and combat antisemitism in all its forms.

Department for International Trade

Economic Growth and Trade: Balkans

The Earl of Dundee: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to lead new initiatives to sustain (1) trade, and (2) economic growth, in (a) Bosnia and Herzegovina, and (b) the Western Balkans.

Lord Grimstone of Boscobel: The Government has signed Trade, Partnership and Cooperation Agreements with Serbia, North Macedonia, Kosovo and Albania, supporting jobs and economic growth, allowing us to build on our trade and investment relationships. UK Export Finance is also an important part of our offer to the region, providing competitive financing for large infrastructure projects. With Bosnia and Herzegovina, we are working to secure a Partnership, Trade and Cooperation Agreement that will ensure preferential terms of trade between the UK and Bosnia and Herzegovina and promote stability and prosperity in the region. We are keen to conclude this as soon as possible.

Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport

Social Media: Age

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to encourage social media companies to reveal how many underage users are on their platforms.

Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay: In May 2021 HM Government published the draft Online Safety Bill. The strongest protections in this legislation are for children. Companies in scope whose sites are likely to be accessed by children will have to ensure that only users who are old enough are able to access services which have age restrictions or which risk causing them harm. The regulator, Ofcom, will be able to take enforcement action against companies that fail to comply.The largest and most high-risk companies will also be required to publish annual transparency reports about the steps they are taking to tackle online harms. This will include steps they are taking to fulfil their safety duties and provide a higher level of protection for children. Ofcom can take robust enforcement action where companies do not provide the required information.In addition, the Secretaries of State for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport, and for Education, alongside the Children’s Commissioner for England, hosted a roundtable with social media companies on 1 December 2021 at which the companies pledged to identify further information regarding children on their platforms and the nature of harms children may face.

Culture Recovery Fund

Lord Jones of Cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government, following the introduction of Plan B COVID-19 restrictions, whether they will consider implementing a fourth round of the Culture Recovery Fund to support businesses implementing COVID-19 certification.

Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay: The £300 million third round of the Culture Recovery Fund is still open for applications, providing vital ongoing support for the cultural, heritage, and creative sectors.The unprecedented £2 billion Culture Recovery Fund has been able to support successful applicants with costs associated with operating in a manner compliant with Covid regulations.Under current plans, the £300 million announced at the 2021 Spring Budget is the final round of the Culture Recovery Fund. We will keep the delivery of the programme under active review and consider how best to adapt it in line with the needs of the sector.

Technology: Companies

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to require technology companies to implement mechanisms to deal with harmful anonymous accounts.

Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay: The Online Safety Bill requires companies to manage effectively the risk of online anonymous abuse on services in scope. Companies will need to remove and limit the spread of illegal content and prevent children from experiencing harmful abuse. Major platforms will also need to set out clearly what legal content is acceptable for adult users on their services and enforce their terms and conditions consistently and transparently. This applies whether a user is anonymous or not.Ofcom will have enforcement powers available to use against companies which fail their duties. These powers include fines for companies of up to £18 million or 10% of qualifying annual global turnover, and business disruption measures.The draft Bill has been subject to pre-legislative scrutiny by a Joint Committee which reported its recommendations on 14 December. We are considering the Committee’s recommendations and are committed to introducing the Bill as soon as possible after that.

Hate Crime

Baroness Deech: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with OFCOM regarding guidance for (1) the BBC, and (2) other media organisations, concerning the (a) accuracy, and (b) sensitivity, of reporting of issues relating to hate crime.

Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay: Ofcom has long-standing broadcasting rules through its Broadcasting Code, protecting against hate speech and prohibiting material likely to incite crime or lead to disorder, which apply to all broadcasters, including the BBC. Ofcom rules ensure that news, in whatever form, is reported with due accuracy and presented with due impartiality. Ofcom rules allow broadcasters to include hate speech in their output as long as it is justified by the context. Ofcom guidance also requires that broadcasters take into account sensitivity across the public and/or within communities.Separate rules for video-on-demand services prohibit incitement to hatred. In November 2021 Ofcom updated its guidance further to protect users from harmful material. In August 2021, the Government launched a consultation to level the playing field between traditional broadcasters and video-on-demand streaming services, in order to provide a fair competitive framework and ensure that viewers in the UK receive equivalent standards. We are now considering our response to that consultation and will publish next steps in due course.Ofcom’s Video Sharing Platform rules require providers to take appropriate measures to protect against harmful material, including incitement to violence or hatred against particular groups of people.

Culture Recovery Fund

The Earl of Clancarty: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will use the Cultural Recovery Fund to support businesses implementing COVID-19 certification.

Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay: The Government’s unprecedented £2 billion Culture Recovery Fund has now given out £1.5 billion of support to around 5,000 organisations and venues in grants and loans, ensuring the survival of organisations facing financial challenges. The Culture Recovery Fund has supported successful applicants with costs associated with operating in a manner compliant with Covid regulations.The £300 million third round of the Fund is still open for applications, providing vital ongoing support for the cultural, heritage, and creative sectors. We will keep the delivery of the programme under active review and consider how best to adapt it in line with the needs of the sector.

Kids Company

Baroness Hoey: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether any of Kids Company's former (1) trustees, or (2) chief executives, received any public money to contest the Official Receiver case; and if so, what was the full breakdown of all costs incurred.

Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay: This Government has no record of any such payments to Kids Company’s former trustees or chief executives.

Kids Company

Baroness Hoey: To ask Her Majesty's Government when the Charity Commission will publish their report into the collapse of Kids Company.

Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay: Owing to the Official Receiver’s investigation, aspects of the Commission’s inquiry were placed on hold pending the outcome of the subsequent High Court proceedings. The High Court issued its detailed judgement on 12 February 2021. The Commission intends to publish its inquiry report as soon as possible.The Commission’s published guidance CC46 (statutory inquiries into charities) sets out some of the factors that determine the length of a statutory inquiry. These can include, for example, the complexity of the issues involved, and the involvement of other regulators and/or statutory agencies. In the case of Keeping Kids Company, separate High Court proceedings under the Company Directors Disqualification Act have been a factor.As well as having a direct impact on the charity, its beneficiaries, staff and supporters, the collapse of Kids Company had a wider effect on public confidence in charities, so it is important that lessons are learned for the future.